January 10, 2008 Minutes

1. Call to Order - Kelly Barnts, Chair presided and Casey Comoroski, Chair elect recorded the proceedings of the meeting by calling the meeting to order at 1:30pm.

2. Roll Call

Present: Kelly Barnts, Casey Comoroski, Cathy McFall, Steven Lowery, Patrick Day, SuzAnn Ferguson, Marian Green, Debbie Branson, Emily McGee, Cindi Barnett, Donald Clark, Lenord McGownd, Dale Moore, John Avery, Konya Knackstedt, Ron Boaz, Norm Griffith

Absent: Dianna Thimesch, Roger Dulcos, William Hade, Patrick Byers, Sue McCrory, Sheila Morris, Dennis Perry, Rebecca Woodard

Guests: Lisa McEowen

3. Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the open regular meeting held on November 6, 2007 were approved with
corrections.

4. Officers Report

  • Kelly Barnts, Chair provided the officers report and spoke on two initiatives in which Staff Senate will form committees to develop a recommendation regarding flexible working summer hours and tuition fee waivers and the number of hours per faculty/staff and how they may be utilized. In addition, the tuition committee will also look at a credit fee for those who need technical training such as HVAC employees. Greg Burris will be speaking with Paula Wilhelm in Human Resources to seek some potential certification training for HVAC employees.
  • Each committee will need to submit a recommendation to staff senate no later than March 1st. Staff Senate will then make any necessary corrections to the recommendation(s) brought forth prior to submitting the recommendations to the President. Staff Senate hopes to have something presented to the Administrative Council and the Board of Governors in April/May.
  • As a side note, it was mentioned that there are funds (limited) for anyone staff or faculty who is interested in pursuing a certificate. That amount currently is $150.00. Kelly Barnts reported that Greg Burris has some monies set aside in Administrative Services that could be used for staff certification, as an alternative of staff using their designated $150.00 allowance.
  • Dr. Nietzel and Greg Burris would like Staff Senate to assist with ideas of helping freshman “feel at home” as well as freshman retention. The USA program is currently working on this and it was suggested to have a guest speaker from this program to talk with Staff Senate. Senators are asked to brainstorm ideas for a program to implement by Fall 2008 and bring to the next meeting.

5. New Business

  • It was brought to the Staff Senate attention regarding the Staff Excellence in University Service Award and those who are recipients of the award were not notified. Nominees get letters after the luncheon notifying them that they were nominated. Several concerns that were addressed were as follows:
    • The awarding criteria is too vague. It was recommended that a more defined criteria be set for the award and be different from the Wall of Fame criteria.
    • That a department may only receive the award once in a specified time frame, not each year.
    • Why each recipient was given such award.
    • How each recipient is chosen, based on what factors? Department?
    • Award amount inequitable.

      This committee is a university committee that comes out of the President’s office. Staff Senate will have someone come to speak with us regarding the award and to address some of the concerns above. The committee will be chaired by Greg Burris beginning in 2008-09. Suggestions for the award were as follows:
    • Have the number of recipients congruent with job categories
    • Recognize part time staff members for their service
    • Send the letter to each nominee before hand notifying the individual that they were nominated and to be present at the Staff luncheon.
    • To make the award amount congruent with the Community Service Award.
  • Cindi Barnett, Director of Campus Recreation reported that the university will be moving forward to hire an Architect by May 2008 for the new University Recreation Center. The target completion date is scheduled for Fall 2010.

6. Committee Reports

  • Work Life Committee – Dale Moore, Committee will be meeting on 1/11/08 to discuss focus group formation and times for when they will take place.
  • Kelly Barnts, Chair noted that there are several standing committees of Staff Senate in which positions need to be filled. The following positions are open:
    • Bylaws Committee - Chair vacant
    • Public Relations Committee - Chair vacant and 3 members to fill
    • Staff Activities Committee - Debbie Branson, volunteered to be Chair. Other members will need to be solicited
    • Tuition Committee – Konya Knackstedt volunteered as Chair and will solicit members.
    • Summer Working Hours Committee – need Chair
  • Cindi Barnett of Campus Recreation volunteered to be a member of the committee. Other committee members will be solicited.
  • Casey Comoroski, Chair Elect will send a mass email to all Senators with details of open committee positions.
    • Staff Senate will begin soliciting applications in March for membership.
    • Positions open are: two Secretarial and Clerical support, one position in Service Occupations and one in Finance.
    • Casey Comoroski, Chair Elect, spoke regarding the Staff Senate Goals and Initiatives handout.
    • Casey encouraged senators to provide feedback on the goals or add to the initiatives that are listed. (See attached)

7. Adjournment - Meeting was adjourned at 2:27 p.m.
8. Next Meeting - The next regular meeting will begin at 1:30 pm on February 7, 2008 in Plaster Student Union,
Room 315.

Submitted by,
Casey Comoroski, Chair Elect